Alternanthera plant named ‘Cognac’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alternanthera  plant named ‘Cognac’, characterized by its upright and columnar plant habit; freely basal branching habit; bushy and dense growth habit; and dark purplish brown-colored leaves.

Botanical designation: Alternanthera ficoidea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Cognac’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following related applications:

-   -   Alternanthera Plant Named ‘Creme de Menthe’.     -   Alternanthera Plant Named ‘Grenadine’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alternanthera plant, botanically known as Alternanthera ficoidea, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Cognac’.

The new Alternanthera was discovered in June, 2002, by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Chamblee, Ga., as a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Alternanthera ficoidea cultivar Partytime, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,789. The cultivar Cognac was selected by the Inventor on the basis of its unique foliage coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings in Chamblee, Ga., since June, 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Alternanthera are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Cognac have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Cognac’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Cognac’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and columnar plant habit.     -   2. Freely basal branching habit; bushy and dense growth habit.     -   3. Dark purplish brown-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Alternanthera can be compared to plants of the parent, the cultivar Partytime. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chamblee, Ga., plants of the new Alternanthera differed from plants of the cultivar Partytime in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alternanthera were taller than plants of         the cultivar Partytime.     -   2. Plants of the new Alternanthera had larger and glossier         leaves than plants of the cultivar Partytime.     -   3. Plants of the new Alternanthera and the cultivar Partytime         differed in foliage coloration as plants of the cultivar         Partytime had green, creamy white and red purple-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Alternanthera can also be compared to plants of the cultivars Creme de Menthe, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/022,001, and Grenadine, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/022,000. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Chamblee, Ga., plants of the new Alternanthera differed from plants of the cultivars Creme de Menthe and Grenadine primarily in leaf coloration as plants of the cultivar Creme de Menthe had green and pale yellow bi-colored leaves and plants of the cultivar Grenadine had brown and red purple bi-colored leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the unique appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alternanthera. The photograph is a top perspective view of a typical plants of ‘Cognac’ grown in the landscape.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in the aforementioned photograph and in the following description were grown in Atlanta, Ga. during the summer in an outdoor nursery and under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 80 to 905° F. and night temperatures ranged from 60 to 75° F. Plants were about four months old when the photograph and description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Alternanthera ficoidea cultivar Cognac. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Alternanthera     ficoidea cultivar Partytime, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.     14,789. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 5 days at 80 to 90° F.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 10 days at 65 to 80°             F.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, summer.—About 21             days at 80 to 90° F.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner, winter.—About 30             to 35 days at 65 to 80° F.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; off-white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form/growth habit.—Upright and columnar plant habit;             vigorous.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of plant plane.—About 32 cm.         -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 25 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely basal branching, about six basal             branches per plant; pinching enhances lateral branch             formation; dense and bushy growth habit.         -   Basal branches.—Length: About 28 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 6.3 cm. Texture: Fine pubescence;             longitudinally ridged. Strength: Strong, but flexible.             Color: 187A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:             About 8.75 cm. Width: About 5 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute             to acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rugose. Venation pattern:             Pinnate. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: More red purple than 200A. Developing and fully             expanded foliage, lower surface: Closest to 187A. Venation,             upper surface: Close to 187A to close to 200A. Venation,             lower surface: Close to 187A. Petiole: Length: About 3.9 cm.             Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color: Upper surface: 187A. Lower surface:             Lighter than 187A. -   Flower description: Flower development has not been observed on     plants of the new Alternanthera. -   Disease/pest resistance: Under commercial production conditions,     plants of the new Alternanthera have not been observed to be     resistant to pathogens or pests common to Alternanthera. -   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Alternanthera have been shown     to be tolerant to rain, wind and to temperatures ranging from 32 to     more than 100° F. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Alternanthera plant named ‘Cognac’, as illustrated and described. 